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TWITTER: NOW.... it will make sense!

Important Questions to Consider:

  • Why does/would Twitter Matter?
  • What would I gain from spending time there?
  • What do others say about their experiences with Twitter?
  • How can Twitter be of value to me?
  • Is it worth my time (don't rush to answer this one yet!)


Here's my take:


How Can/Might Twitter Help Me?

Are you interested in....
  • Keeping current?
  • Learning from other educators?
  • Engaging in inspiring conversations?
  • Getting new ideas and feedback?
  • Connecting and collaborating?
  • Identifying Influencers and Mentors?
  • Building deeper relationships?
  • Becoming a resource for other colleagues?
  • Learning outside your discipline and from other leaders?


If you answered yes to any of these...Twitter may be great for you, but you need to think about your objectives before jumping in the conversation.

Check WHY others are using Twitter:
  1. Connect to the World Using Twitter
  2. Build Your Personal Learning Network on Twitter
  3. #Chatting- Powerful Discussions on Twitter


Understanding Twitter: What is Twitter?

I'm on Twitter, Now What?<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_5617705"> <strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/angelamaiers/im-on-twitter-now-what" title="I'm on Twitter, Now What?" target="_blank">I'm on Twitter, Now What?</a></strong> <iframe src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/5617705" width="425" height="355" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="padding:5px 0 12px"> View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/angelamaiers" target="_blank">Angela Maiers</a> </div> </div>
View more presentations from Angela Maiers.


Even More Explanations Here:


THE BASICS:
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Getting Started: Three First Steps

  1. Register at Twitter.com It's a free account. Here's a five minute video tutorial.

  2. Get Ready to be introduced:

  • Fill in your bio - think of keywords you could include in your 160 character biography
  • Add an image- ALWAYS use an image of what you really look like. People want to know the real you!
  • That means your REAL NAME or as close as you can get to that. Teach22 is not what I would call you in person, think about how your introduce yourself to strangers offline.

3. Let me introduce you:

  • Follow me at @angelamaiers

  • Tweet me this message:
    Screen_shot_2010-12-07_at_4.53.02_PM.png
    Screen_shot_2010-12-07_at_4.53.02_PM.png

HOW TO SEND A TWEET:
Remember the:
  • @sign with no spaces (@angelamaiers - Nice to connect! )
  • 140 Chara limit
  • If you have a lot to say try: URL shorteners: bit.lyor Tweetlonger

MORE SUPPORT HERE:

Your Profile/Your Story


Creating a powerful profile takes more than adding an image and a few tag words. Your profile is more than a description or job title; it is your story. You have to let people get to know who they are meeting, what you are interested in, what you do, and what you are looking for in 160 characters or less. These links and tutorial will help you in as you get ready to let the world know what gifts you have to offer it!

Getting Ready to Write:


CUSTOMIZE YOUR THEME:
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Your On Twitter....NOW WHAT?


This next section of resources/links answers the questions:

  • What do I Tweet?

  • Who do I follow?

  • How do I get the most from the experience?

  • Am I doing it right?



FINDING AND FOLLOWING:

There are lots of ways to find others who share your passion, interests,and goals. There are a number of Twitter Search Tools to help:

Search Strategies:

  1. Search through your followers' followers or the people you follow, followers. (Use Friend or Follow )
  2. Have conversations with INFLUENCERS in your topic area ( Use Klout to check the influence of specific users. Here's some additional social network analysis tools that will help you visualize your network and find influencers)
  3. LIST, LIST, LIST - Once you've found people, keep them organized on Twitter's handy list feature. You can create open or closed lists. Creating lists of supporters, staff, or related organizations is a great technique for expanding your network.
  4. Create your own lists of people you find interesting. This compliments the people you enjoy following, and encourages them to follow you back. Add your account to Listorious so people can find you.

Sometimes it is easier to start with an already organized tribe or community. Check out these groups on Twitter:



RESOURCE VIDEOS:


Managing the Conversations:



Desktop applications built for Twitter allow you to read replies and direct messages and offer a more custom browsing experience. These popular browsers will help you maximize your Twitter experience!



My personal favorites are Tweetdeck and Hootsuite TwitbiniTwitterific Twhir


Twitter Strategy: What's Yours?


Now that your Tribe in order, you are feeling good about your tweeting, you know you are ready to think strategy!
  • How do you want to engage with your new community?
  • What role do you wish to fulfill? (What Kind of Tweeter do you want to be? conversation starters? question asker?, follow upper? content currator?)
  • What time can you commit to the work?
  • What's your plan for success?

Here's mine:

My **Twitter** Engagement Formula



Advanced Engagment Considerations:

  • THE RE-TWEET

  • THE HASHTAG

  • THE CHAT

THE RE-TWEET

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THE HASHTAG


Hashtags Use hashtags for your events, programs, and open up different channels for conversations.
  1. What Does Your Hashtag Use Say About You? by Shelly Terrell
  2. List of Education Hashtags by Cybraryman

THE CHAT


Twitter Chats:
  1. Education Chats on Twitter and their Hashtags by Cybraryman
  2. Video: Using Tweet Deck for Hashtag Discussions by Shelly Terrell
  3. Video: #Edchat: Join the Movement by Shelly Terrell
  4. What is #Edchat page by Cybraryman
  5. Online Twitter Chats


How am I Doing?


There is no shortage of advice on how to "do" Twitter right. Here's a succinct list of Twitter Best Practices - some short dos and don's - Twitter Best Practices.

  • DO tweet as often as you want, but DO NOT engage with Twitter if you don't want to invest time, attention and resources in making real connections there.
  • DO encourage others to join Twitter, but DO NOT encourage them if you don't want them to share information quickly, connect to one another more deeply, and discuss their work in open,transparent conversations
  • DO care about growing your community and followers, but DO NOT approach Twitter with the aim of accumulating and controlling an audience.
  • DO use Twitter apps, tools, and software but DO NOT mistake Twitter for software...it's a community!
  • DO be strategic and tactical when you engage with Twtter, but DO NOT Twitter do it without love.

It's always good to keep asking yourself: Am I following the "rules"? Tools like these can help you relfect, measure, and adjust your strategy.

  • Twitalyzer calculates your influence based on your signal-to-noise ratio, generosity, velocity and clout, and it also allows you to calculate a score for any other Twitter user you wish to track. You're tracking relative increases and decreases to your influence over time and helps you refine Twitter strategies
  • Klout
  • TweetReach

Here are my Rules to Live by on Twitter: 26 Keys to //Twitter Success/



Twitter Tools: There's an App (or 100 Apps) for That!

There are new applications and tools everyday. I have started a collections of resources here, but have also included top tools compiled by others. Enjoy!!!

My **Twitter** Resources Library




TOP TOOLS:
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TWITTER RESOURCES FROM THE PRO's



Even More Resources To Explore


STILL : Important Questions to Consider:

  • Why does/would Twitter Matter?
  • What would I gain from spending time there?
  • What do others say about their experiences with Twitter?
  • How can Twitter be of value to me?
  • Is it worth my time (don't rush to answer this one yet!)